Discussions

How I Accidentally Became a Puzzle Person

I never planned to become one of those people who unwind by solving puzzles. If anything, I thought puzzles were… well, a little too serious. I imagined quiet old men in cafés with newspapers, solving Sudoku in complete silence while sipping bitter espresso. That definitely wasn’t me.

But one slow Sunday morning, I found myself scrolling through my phone with nothing to do. I opened a puzzle app out of pure curiosity, tapped on an “Easy” board, and suddenly the minutes melted away. When I finished that first grid, something clicked. I felt a small spark of satisfaction—unexpected, gentle, and… addictive.

Little did I know that tiny moment would turn into a daily ritual that still follows me everywhere.

The Strange Joy of Filling Empty Squares
When Confusion Turns Into Clarity

The thing about Sudoku that always surprises me is how it can start off looking impossible. You stare at a nearly empty grid, wondering how in the world anyone is supposed to figure it out. But then you place one number… then another… and a picture slowly begins to form.

One of my favorite feelings in the world is the moment when a puzzle suddenly “opens up.” You know the moment—the point where the entire thing was stuck for ages, and then suddenly a single deduction unlocks a chain reaction. It’s like flipping a light switch after stumbling around in the dark.